ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — a division
  5. court — of law
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. court — of a king
  10. stock — goods
  11. court — for sport
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. board — a committee
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stock — shares
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. file — a tool
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. file — a document
  24. content — the amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com